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Phandelver: Wave Echo Cave
Fifteen miles east of Phandalin, in the deep vales of the Sword Mountains, lies Wave Echo Cave. The rich mine of the Phandelver's Pact was lost five hundred years ago during orc invasions that devastated this part of the North. In the centuries since, countless prospectors and adventurers have searched for the lost mine, but none succeeded until the Rockseeker brothers found the entrance a month ago. Unfortunately, the Rockseekers did not realize they were being trailed by spies working for Nezznar, the Black Spider, and they inadvertently led the drow villain to their prize. Nezznar and his followers dealt with the two Rockseekers who were guarding their find, then arranged for Gundren's ambush. Learning of the adventurers' involvement with Gundren or their exploits in and around Phandalin, the Black Spider has given orders for the characters to be dealt with. Meanwhile, Nezznar has begun his exploration of Wave Echo Cave. The drow is searching for the Forge of Spells, where the human mages of old Phandalin enchanted dwarven weapons and gnome gadgets. However, Nezznar's exploration has been hindered by the restless undead and dangerous monsters that lurk in Wave Echo Cave, forcing him to proceed with great caution. The adventurers now have the chance to aid Gundren, avenge his kin, and put a stop to the nefarious schemes of the Black Spider. And of course, the hoard of powerful magic rumored to be hidden in the mines is a rich prize. CHARACTER LEVEL This part of the adventure is designed for characters of at least 4th level and assumes that each character has earned at least 2,700 XP. If the adventurers skipped too many of the optional investigations and encounters in part 3, they might not be 4th level, and many of the encounters in this section might be difficult for them. EXPERIENCE POINT AWARDS In this part of the adventure, XP is awarded for overcoming monsters, as in parts 2 and 3. However, XP awards for monsters is not given in the encounter description. Instead, the amount of XP that a monster is worth is noted in its stat block (see appendix B). You calculate the award by totaling the value for each monster the characters overcome. Additional XP awards, and the reasons for them, are described in the text, under the "Awarding Experience Points" heading. WANDERING MONSTERS Monsters roam through all areas of the mine. Random encounters remind players that monsters aren't necessarily confined to specific areas, and that no part of the dungeon is safe. Encounters with wandering monsters are an effective way to keep the players and characters on their toes, alleviate player boredom, and tax party resources. However, having too many random encounters can become tedious, so use them sparingly. If the characters spend a long time in a given area, you can check for wandering monsters by rolling a d20. On a roll of 17-20, an encounter takes place. Conversely, if the players seem restless, you can decide that an encounter occurs. Roll a d12 and consult the Wandering Monsters table to determine what the party meets. GENERAL FEATURES The mine is cold, damp, and surprisingly drafty. A noticeable breeze blows through many of its passages, flowing from area 1 toward area 16. Ceilings: Tunnels are 10 feet high unless noted otherwise. Rooms have 20-foot-high ceilings, while natural caverns have 30-foot-high ceilings dotted with stalactites. Doors: Unless noted otherwise, all doors are 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and made of six-inch-thick cut slabs of stone fitted with iron handles and hinges. The doors are low and wide-perfect for dwarves. '''Walls: '''The walls are hewn stone. In a few areas (14, 15, 19, and 20), they are dressed with well-fitted stone blocks. '''Floors: '''All floors are smooth, natural stone. '''Light: '''None unless otherwise indicated. The boxed text assumes that the characters have light sources or darkvision. '''Stalagmites: '''Found in many of the natural caverns, these spires of rock rise up from the floor and can be used for cover (see "Cover" in the rulebook). KEYED ENCOUNTERS All the encounters in this part of the adventure are keyed to the map of Wave Echo Cave. Booming Waves All good dungeons have characteristics that make them unique, and Wave Echo Cave is no exception. The rhythmic thunder of pounding waves echoes throughout the mine, loud enough to make the stone underfoot shiver. Waves come about two minutes apart, growing louder toward the northeast. Wave Echo Cave is nowhere near the ocean, but a water-filled cavern deep in the mine is connected to an underground hot spring. That spring boils over continuously to produce a surge that slams into a narrow funnel, making a sound like breaking surf. Describe this sound to players on occasion. It will pique their curiosity and lure them toward its source, drawing them deeper into the mine as a consequence. Locations # Cave Entrance # Mine Tunnels # Old Entrance # Old Guardroom # Assayer's Office # South Barracks # Ruined Storeroom # Fungi Cavern # Great Cavern # Dark Pool # North Barracks # Smelter Cavern # Starry Cavern # Wizard's Quarters # Forge of Spells # Booming Cavern # Old Streambed # Collapsed Cavern # Temple of Dumathoin # Preists' Quarters Quests * None NPCs * Nezzar: The Black Spider CONCLUSION With hard work and a little luck, the adventurers have defeated the Black Spider and undone his destructive plots, cleared Phandalin of the ruffians who threatened its people, and reclaimed the lost mine of Wave Echo Cave. Their deeds will be long remembered in this corner of the Sword Coast. In years to come, the restored mines of the Phandelver's Pact will bring great riches to Phandalin and help establish peace and prosperity in the area. Gundren and Nundro Rockseeker take over administration of the new mine. For the adventurers' service to their family, they gladly award the party a 10 percent share of the mine's profits. If the characters want to remain in Phandalin and perhaps restore Tresendar Manor or establish homes of their own, the people of the area are glad to have them stay. Even if they choose to move on in search of new adventures, they'll always have a warm welcome in Phandalin. By the end of the adventure, the characters should be 5th level. If your players wish to continue playing their characters, you can use the contents of this set to create your own adventures; the mysterious map found in area 14 of Wave Echo Cave provides one possible adventure hook, but feel free to explore other ideas using the monsters, magic items, and locations in this adventure. If you want to create adventures for characters higher than 5th level, you'll need the basic rules online or the advanced rulebooks: the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual.